Back in December I had to go to the post office during Christmas week. Oog, what a nightmare. I was there at 8:30am when they opened, and got in line behind about 25 people as only two postal employees worked the counter. So, this gave me time to watch the people around me.
This one guy standing about 8 people in front of me was the most peculiar. He wore a full length black trench coat, had kind of his own version of a porkpie hat, round so-dark-I-couldn’t-see-his-eyes sunglasses, hair that just spilled out from under the hat, a very unkempt mustache with a beard to match that had a couple of braided strands, and a black dapper cane with an ornate silver handle. He made such an impression, that I did this drawing of him not back in December, but only just this past weekend.
And yes, I was too afraid to ask what he was there to pick up. Some answers are better left unsaid.
Looking kind of like he was into goth and the wild west, this fellow postal patron was certainly very mysterious.
Welcome to the new year! It has been almost a month since I last posted anything. Since then, I did a little traveling for the holidays, and upon my return to Los Angeles, reacclimated myself to the daily responsibilities of drawing at my job.
I assume that many of you also travelled for the holidays. Perhaps you traveled by plane, train, or automobile? I generally go by plane when it is across the country, which always means sitting in airports. I like to find a seat that faces the main walkway where I peoplewatch. Airports are the great cross-section of society. Once in awhile, someone finds their way into my sketchbook. Here are just a few…
A few days ago I shared with you a few sketches I did last weekend of several composers I had the privilege of seeing at a panel discussion about their line of work. Their line of work helps put me in the frame of mind to do MY line of work (which is drawing if you didn’t already know), so why not do some doodles of these musical artists the only way I know how – in CARICATURE!
I stress the word “caricature” because with my last posting, there seemed to be some who missed the fact that I’m a CARTOONIST when responding to my art. I don’t do flattering portraits. My hand can only draw how I really see the world, so be afraid – be very afraid.
Seriously though, I have the utmost respect for my subjects. I LOVE their music, and really appreciated their insights brought forth by moderator Daniel Schweiger last Sunday afternoon.
So, I present to you today images from my sketchbook of David Newman (Hoffa, The Affair of the Necklace, The Spirit), Nicholas Pike (Parasomnia, Return To Me, Star Kid), Lee Holdridge (The Tuskegee Airmen, Splash, Secret of Nimh 2), and Ken Thorne (Superman II & III, Lassiter, Help!). Enjoy!
David Newman composes wonderful music for many comedies including quite a few of Eddie Murphy’s movies, but some of my favorites have been for dramas like “Hoffa” or the Oscar nominated “Anastasia” or for action-adventure like “The Phantom” or “The Spirit”.
The first CD I ever picked up by Nicholas Pike was his score to “Return to Me”, a movie starring Minnie Driver. That great CD also introduced me to the musical stylings of funnyman Jackie Gleason who conducted really great (forgive the term) “elevator music” that I just love.
While Lee Holdridge has composed many great scores for movies and television, he also was good friends with John Denver and had arranged many songs for the Country Boy.
At 87, Ken Thorne was the eldest of the composers on the panel, and also was the only one with an Oscar which he won in 1967 for his work on the movie “A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum.”
Thanks again to the great Peter Hackman for getting film music fans together for such a great event! Looking forward to next year’s!!
I have a confession to make. It’s not something that I talk about much here, but it’s something that is a part of my daily life. It’s an obsession really. I’m not ashamed of it, but I’m also not sure how common my obsession really is. So, here goes….
Hi, I’m Chad, and I’m a film musicaholic.
Whew. Felt good getting that off my chest. Really, though, I love orchestral film music – especially while I am doing my drawings, and living here in the Hollywood area there are multiple opportunities to feed this hobby of mine. This past year I met a fella from the midwest named Peter Hackman who shares in this passion. So much so, that he formed a group called Fans Of Film Music, and this past weekend Peter put together a terrific event that film music fans across the globe should know about.
Here is the youngest of the composers on the panel, Brian Tyler, whose recent score to “Fast Five” actually makes me draw faster.
First, Friday evening about 30 film music enthusiasts gathered at a restaurant in Silver Lake, CA just to swap stories and get to know each other. I had never been to anything like it, and was amazed to meet these folks, many of which work in the film business or in the music industry. It was amazing hearing tales of being at James Horner’s first film scoring recording sessions, or about encounters with legends like Jerry Goldsmith or John Williams.
Many of these folks attended the John Williams concert held at the Hollywood Bowl Saturday night, but quite frankly, the icing on the cake is what went down Sunday afternoon at the Dark Delicacies store in Burbank. Mr. Hackman was able to gather together some amazing composers for a panel discussion open to only 45 attendees: Brad Fiedel (Terminator, T2, True Lies), Lee Holdridge (Old Gringo, Mists of Avalon, Splash), David Newman (Nutty Professor, Hoffa, Ice Age), Nicholas Pike (Return To Me, Sleepwalkers, Star Kid), Ken Thorne (Help!, Lassiter, Inspector Clousseau), Brian Tyler (Fast Five, Battle: LA, Rambo), and Christopher Young (Priest, Love Happens, Spider-man 3). Aaron Zigman (The Proposal, The Notebook, Flash of Genius) was scheduled to attend, but had a family emergency that prevented his attendance. Wonderfully moderated by film music critic and historian Daniel Schweiger, the hour and a half panel was riveting with these maestros telling tales of their experiences in their chosen profession.
I had a great seat, and sat there with my sketchbook in hand working on quick sketches of the panelists. Once at home, I finessed the drawings a bit. Anyone could show you photos of the day’s events (which you will probably be able to see on the Fans of Film Music Facebook page very soon), but I thought I’d share with you a few drawings instead…
Brad “I’ll be back” Fiedel who first really caught everyone’s attention with his score for “The Terminator.”
I first met Chris Young probably over 10 years ago when I visited a class he was teaching at USC, and have always found him to be a generous man.
If you like these, perhaps I’ll show you some more sketches of the other panelists later in the week. And if you’d like to see other art of mine related to the world of film music, CLICK HERE!
“I admire machinery as much as any man, and am as thankful to it as any man can be for what it does for us. But, it will never be a substitute for the face of a man, with his soul in it, encouraging another man to be brave and true.”
– Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870)
If Charles Dickens could see mobile phones today he might say, “By jove! A pocket-sized telegraph machine!”
Well, I’m not sure the fella above is texting another man to be brave and true. Instead he is probably texting a friend saying “Yo, I’m down at the Coffee Bean where some weird dude keeps looking over at me and scribbling in a book!” I try not to be noticed when I’m sketching in public, but sometimes it’s hard to hide on a small patio. Lattè cups aren’t quite large enough to duck behind. Oh well. Still managed to squeeze out a sketch in between sips before the stranger got up and left.
Whew! Things have been REALLY busy for me lately, so much so that it has been a few weeks since my last post here on the blog. My day job has me working as a character designer on a movie about Zhu Zhu Pets toys, and a lot of evenings and weekend time lately have been spent designing props for them as well! Unfortunately I cannot show you any of that work for now, but I can show you personal stuff!
As I mentioned earlier this month, I have been taking a class at the Animation Guild on Monday nights being taught by animation guru Bob Kurtz (Kurtz & Friends Animation studio). Since tonight is the last night of the class, it seemed appropriate to show you a caricature of Bob I did during one of his lessons. Drawing the teacher was NOT part of the class agenda, but how could one NOT draw such an interesting subject matter?
Bob Kurtz at his Bobbiest during one of his lectures as depicted in my class notes.
I’ve never been one to take very comprehensive notes in school. Always having an interest in art, many doodles littered the notes of any academic class I happened to be in. I usually was paying attention to the teacher, but somehow the margins were always full of stuff another part of my brain generated.
I recently started taking a storyboard refresher class at the Animation Guild that has been meeting on Monday nights. The teacher, Bob Kurtz, has been very interesting and informative on a topic near to my heart. However, knowing my proclivity to doodle during classes, this time I immediately cut to the chase by bringing a sketchbook along instead of note paper. I figured I’d be drawing more, and class notes would be relegated to the margins instead.
So, here is a page from my notes on the first night of class. The sketches had absolutely nothing to do with what was being taught. The closest thing to being remotely connected to what was happening in the room is that fella in the top left – he was one of my fellow students. Yes, I was paying attention. It’s just that my hand was off doing it’s own thing.
On a completely unrelated matter, I just wanted to wish my sister Tori a happy birthday today! And she is about to pop with her first kid, too! If he arrives today, that will make a new birthday in the family easier to remember!
This past Monday I concluded my holiday travels. As you well know from previous blog posts, I always carry my sketchbook with me to keep me entertained during all the waiting one has to do in airports. An airport provides a wonderful cross section of society to try to capture with the pencil. And seeing how people present themselves for travel always intrigues me. Some folks dress up, others wear nothing but their jammies, while yet others may wear layers of the strangest ensemble you’ll ever see in an attempt to avoid baggage fees by putting on whatever didn’t fit into the carry-on (cough – me – cough).
So, here are a few folks that I captured in the airport in Baltimore, Maryland…..
“….all the king’s airplanes and all the king’s pilots, couldn’t lift H….”“…and I’m waaaaaiting for a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll take off again…”I’m not sure how he pulled it off, but this janitor looked like he was on a break while he was working! Wish I could work that relaxed!
